From the Chairman …

The Chamber Orchestra is offering a really attractive
programme and we are very pleased to welcome a local soloist who has an
international reputation. Usually I only play with the Symphony Orchestra
and enjoy the Chamber Orchestra’s concerts from the audience side but it
will be a great joy to play this wonderful programme and please do encourage
your friends to join us.

It is at this concert that we launch the brochure for next
season – the 50th anniversary of the Symphony Orchestra and Peter’s
50th season as our conductor. A number of the works were suggested by
members of the orchestras, not necessarily because they will be playing in them
but because they enjoy the music. It is an exciting programme and
I’m sure you will support such an important landmark in HSO’s
development – ideally as a season ticket holder. We have already received
several generous donations towards the costs of the season but there is still
time for you to make a contribution.

By the time you read this my Sponsored 1000 Walk for the
Orchestras should have earned £250 from my kind sponsors. If you
have not yet signed up to support me, Geoff Porter will have the forms at the
Friends’ Table in the Meon Room on Saturday.

I look forward to seeing you at the concert and please talk to
me about our activities and to offer help which is always welcome!

Notes from the Conductor …

As a pianist I always found Ravel’s Suite Le Tombeau de
Couperin a bit of a handful with so many demands of precision dexterity – many
at speed and such clearly articulated textures. The composer’s own
transformation to small orchestra format does not necessarily reduce the burden
but adds further vexations in problems of textural and voicing balance between
wind and strings and in presenting finely engineered link-ups throughout the
orchestra. If it all comes off, the result is delicious and fragrant and
whilst avoiding a pure Couperin time-capsule – a certain degree of wistful
nostalgia is evoked. Composer’s often excessive metronome speeds
(and those of conductors interpreting them) frequently come under fire, but I
can promise you there will be no attempt on world record vitesse in
Saturday’s performance. There is quite enough danger to cope with
without adding the peril of Ravel’s suggested speeds! Our job will
be to try and hide the myriad challenges in a relaxing play that we can all
enjoy – players and audience alike. We’ll leave the Bum of the
Flightle Bee approach to virtuoso ensembles.

Falla’s magnificently nationalistic
‘Three-cornered Hat’ ballet rarely seems to get an airing in the
concert hall these days – let alone on the stage. The colourful suites
which the composer drew from Acts I and II deserve to be better-known, and they
can be enjoyed as pure music divorced from the plot. Hearing such vibrant
music makes one lament the fact that Falla’s output was so small despite
his 70-year span.

Included amongst the exotic textures of the Act I dances is an
important part for piano – often working in tandem with the harpist.
Playing this will be Ayumi Shirai, an advanced student of Peter Rhodes’
Music Department at South Downs College.

It is a real pleasure to welcome the man himself as our
soloist in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 19. When I first heard Peter
play at his SDC interview (Chopin’s B minor Sonata, I believe) I realised
what a prodigious talent he had – a view consolidated at close quarters over
the years as his colleague, listening to and even sharing the accompaniments
for students’ recitals, including millions of bloody Hindemith
sonatas. Oddly this is Peter’s first appearance with us as
soloist. It will also be nice to link up with another SDC colleague,
Terry Barfoot who will be giving the pre-concert talk on the Concerto – one we
haven’t played before.

Periodically I invite the resident Bob Harding Bursary holder
to conduct in an HCO concert. This, despite the dubious experience of the
very first such invitation in May 1996 when Haig Utidjian certainly made the
most of his opportunity. He conducted Mozart’s Symphony No 29 with
all repeats, AND the repeats of all the other sections where they were
unspecified – thus giving, in effect, two complete performances of the
symphony!

I trust that on Saturday, Sam Draper will restrict
himself to those repetitions asked for in Beethoven’s 8th Symphony!
Please give him a warm welcome.

Peter Craddock

UPBEAT CLUB! at 6.30

Hello all Young (and young-at-heart) Concert
Attenders!

I am looking forward to seeing you all at the Upbeat Club meeting
on Saturday in the Meon Room when we will be exploring graphic
scores.

WHAT ARE THEY, YOU ASK????

It’s music that is written down using pictures for
sounds and other notation.

You will have the chance to compose your own piece of music
using a graphic score and, I hope we’ll have time, to play your pieces
using different types of percussion.

Come and join me to make some NOISE !!!!

Best wishes,

Becky Hill

Brochures for 2011-12 …

… are scheduled to be ready for
Saturday.

Please make sure you collect your copy AND some for your
friends. Season Ticket booking forms will be enclosed with them and
Margaret (Packe) will be waiting for your renewal and your friends’ new
bookings as well!

CDs for Sale (1)

We still have a few copies of Viv McLean’s debut CD for
sale (£10 each).
They will be on the Table in the Foyer on Saturday.

On sale on SATURDAY at the Table in the Foyer and at the Community
Centre from Monday and at the door.

Adverts in our Programme

The Orchestras’ Programme Book has a long
‘life’ – from October to July so an advert is a worthwhile
investment and the cost is very reasonable.

If: you have a business that would benefit from
exposure in our Programme Book

or: you would like to help the Society by
approaching possible advertisers, please contact Tony or
Sandra soon. Thanks.

A big ‘thank you’ …

… to the kind supporters who replenished the
Poster-distribution Section’s envelope stock.
We have sufficient
for the time being so please watch for another request – and hold on to your
spares until then!

Friends’ Garden Party

IMPORTANT CHANGE - PLEASE TAKE NOTE

THE FRIENDS’ GARDEN PARTY in Fareham WILL NOW TAKE PLACE ON
SUNDAY 19 JUNE, 3.00pm

EVERYONE IS WELCOME

TICKETS AT THE FRIENDS’ TABLE in FERNEHAM HALL on SATURDAY

Music, Teas, Cakes, Bring & Buy, Raffle, Conversation, Plants, etc
….

Just hope the sun shines!

Flute It!

Members of a new Flute Choir which meets in Portsmouth on
Thursdays from 7.30–9.00pm invites flautists of all ages and abilities to
join them. No auditions just a weekly subscription. See their
website: www.fluteit.co.uk
and/or email: s.thornton@ntlworld.co.uk for further
details.